1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to overvoltage protection circuits, and more specifically, to an overvoltage protection circuit for an integrated circuit.
2. Related Art
Electronic parts, such as integrated circuits, can experience both electrical overstress (EOS) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. Both EOS and ESD events (also referred to as “overvoltage events”) can damage circuitry that may be sensitive to these events by exposing the circuitry to an overvoltage. Traditionally, circuits that are designed to protect against ESD events that occur when the integrated circuit is turned off, may not protect against EOS and ESD events that occur when the integrated circuit is already powered on.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved overvoltage protection circuit for an integrated circuit that can protect the integrated circuit from EOS and ESD events even when the integrated circuit is already powered on. In addition, there is a need to ensure that the integrated circuit stays in operation during the EOS/ESD event, i.e., the supply voltage must not collapse to a level that it resets the integrated circuit.